Etdible Products. 



166 



[March 1907. 



Gazette, 1898.) Excellent results are obtained by using Paspalum dilatatum as a 

 constituent of a mixed pasture, which contains also Cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata) 

 or other grass which makes growth in the winter, at which time the Paspalum is at 

 its worst. The pasture should be allowed to seed during the second year, that the 

 Paspalum may distribute its seed, as it spreads very slowly from the roots. For 

 dairying purposes, Paspalum is of great value, as it has great milk-producing 

 properties. 



For hay, this grass is rather coarse, and usually has a bad colour when dry. 

 It is, however, of excellent quality, and the yield is very large. A sample grown on 

 the Wollongbar Experimental Farm gave the following results on analyses (F. B. 

 Guthrie, in N. S. W. Agricultural Gazette, 1897 :— 



Moisture ... ... 1055 



Albuminoids 10-31 f f^j 1 ?,- - - J'g 



L insoluble ... ... 8 - 93 



Digestible fibre... ... 29-96 



Woody fibre ... ... 27'95 



a oi, «.Q7 f soluble ... ... 4'32 



A&h - - - b 61 \ insoluble ... ... 2-05 



Amide compounds) i4-«fi / total nitrogen ... 2 66 



Chlorophyll, &c. J \ amide nitrogen ... 1-01 



100-00 



This analysis compares very favourably with that of ordinary English hay, 

 and shows a larger proportion of digestible and nourishing material. In deeply 

 worked rich soils at least three crops may be obtained per annum when the plant is 

 well established. On the Richmond River (N. S. W.) Goverment Farm, in one year, 

 14 tons per acre were obtained on the first cutting, 8 to 10 on the second, after which 

 a third crop of 6 to 7 tons was gathered, making a total yield of 28 to 31 tons 

 per acre. 



An analysis of a sample of the crop grown on good cultivated land on the 

 creek flats of the Queensland Agricultural College, and cut on April 22nd, 1901, 

 compares rather unfavourably with the foregoing. The yield of grass in this crop 

 was 10*525 tons per acre, and of hay (air dried grass), 2'858 tons per acre. The 

 analysis of the hay yielded the following figures (J. C. Brunnich, F.c.s., in Queens- 

 land A gricultural Journal, 1901, pp. 245, 246) :— 



Moisture ... ... 10-72 



Albuminoids ... 1-81 J taSle Z Z gS 



Digestible fibre... ... 26*97 



Woody fibre ... ... 34*45 



Ash ... ... ... 10-14 



/ soluble ... ... 6-06 



( insoluble ... ... 4*08 



Amide compounds, "I 1°-!D1 f total nitrogen ... 0*882 



Chlorophyll, fat, &c.,/"" " \ amide nitrogen ... 0*112 



100*00 



There is a remarkable difference in nitrogen yield between this sample and 

 that analysed by Mr. Guthrie. The apparent inferiority of this crop is attributed by 

 Mr. Brunnich to the facts that the grass was over-ripe when cut, and had been grown 

 in exceptionally dry weather, and on a larger scale than the Wollongbar sample. 



From the time that the first seeds in each spike are mature, the ripening of 

 the whole spike occupies about three weeks. In consequence, the harvesting of the 

 seeds is a matter of some difficulty. Those collected during the first few days of 

 ripening are of better quality than those shed later, for a much larger proportion of 

 them are mature, and will germinate. To produce a good pasture on well-prepared 



